There are few items in Minecraft one could argue are more important than totems of undying, especially when playing hardcore. But what is the best way to get this totem, and does this nifty little item have any hidden lore? Today, we answer that and more in our Minecraft totem of undying guide.

Lore

Minecraft’s lore is vague by design, but that does not mean there is nothing to find! Totems of undying are dropped exclusively by evokers, one of the few mobs in Minecraft capable of outright using magic. Evokers are also illagers who regularly participate in village raids. Considering that the totem resembles a golden idol with green eyes that looks more like a villager than an illager, it may be hinting at something dark, such as stored lifeforce that comes from villagers slain in their raids. Alternatively, it may hint at a deity that illagers and villagers share. After all, we do not know what the church's villagers construct is dedicated to. Just what are those evokers up to?

Minecraft Totem of Undying Effects

Totems of undying are activated automatically upon taking fatal damage, but only when the totem is held in a player’s main hand or off-hand. The activated totem immediately sets the player at one health, which is equivalent to half a heart, removes all existing status effects, and applies the following buffs:

• Regeneration II (45 Seconds)
• Fire Resistance I (40 Seconds)
• Absorption II (5 Seconds)

The totem itself is then consumed and permanently lost.

How to Find Totems of Undying

Totems of Undying have a 100% chance to drop from evokers. This mob can spawn in some rooms of the very rare woodland mansion structure, but is more commonly seen as part of wave five and up of illager raids. For this reason, the most effective way to farm evokers is by forcefully activating illager raids on villages by having the bad omen debuff and entering a village. Bad omens are obtained by drinking the contents of an ominous bottle, and ominous bottles are most easily farmed from trial spawners in trial chambers. Once enough ominous bottles are obtained, simply repeat the illager raids. Eventually, you will have more totems of undying than you can ever hope to need.